Texas Joe's Slow Smoked Meats, an American BBQ smokehouse located on a Dickensian street in south London, has earned a 4 out of 5 star rating from Time Out's Food & Drink Editor, Leonie Cooper. The restaurant, which opened a decade ago, is noted for its authentic Texas-style barbecue and its incongruous setting amid Victorian cobbles.
A slice of Texas in Bermondsey
The first sign that you're not in Bermondsey anymore is the gleaming 1962 Cadillac Coupe DeVille parked on the Victorian cobbles outside, a classic motor rarely seen in the States, let alone London Bridge. The smokehouse itself is clad in coal-black clapper-board, paying tribute to true Texan roadside joints like Kreuz's, Snow's, and Black's.
Inside, the decor is old-school Americana, featuring vintage Willie Nelson's 4th of July Picnic posters, Mexican sombreros, a giant painting of John Wayne, and a two-metre long dive bar diorama. The atmosphere is described as a hoarder's paradise or an episode of American Pickers come to life.
The man behind the meat
The master of ceremonies is Texas Joe himself, who walks around in an embroidered, Nudie-style western get-up and Stetson, with his car parked outside. He has weathered the temperamental dude-food storm by holding firm to his meaty manifesto. The restaurant has been co-signed by the US's current wave of outlaw country stars, with Margo Price and Charley Crockett both regulars, proving this is no parody but the real deal.
There's also a bar next door, The Flying W Saloon, where patrons can enjoy Miller Genuine Draft and what are described as the strongest margaritas this side of Tijuana.
Smoked meats and hearty sides
The food menu is short and focused on low-and-slow cooked barbecue, alongside a couple of Tex-Mex tacos. Best sides include the gussied-up Frito Pie, salty corn chips layered with beans and cheese, and the glossy, sweet, and snappable hot beef sausage. Bacon-wrapped jalapeno poppers are stuffed with molten cream cheese, and a hulking marrow bone provides significant slimy sustenance.
The main event includes perfectly pink pork ribs coated in a dense bark, mutton shoulder that runs away from the bone, and peppery beef brisket described as juicy flesh. Tri-tip steak, beef short rib, and chicken thighs for those less keen on BBQ are also available. Slaw and pickles come on the side, and sauce is frowned upon; the meat is cooked for hours with a simple salt and pepper rub. The white slice, beloved of US BBQ joints, is available on request.
Time Out's review concludes that Texas Joe's is a ride worth taking, recommending a visit to the adjacent dive bar, The Flying W Saloon. The restaurant is located at 8-9 Snowsfields, London Bridge, London SE1 3SU, with the nearest tube station being London Bridge.
